Requiem
by justbeache
Summary: The aftermath of The Sun also Rises. Stefan comforts Elena and talks with Bonnie about finding a cure for Damon.


A/N After the angst fest that was the season 2 finale….I've really struggled to write anything. I finally decided that this story wasn't going to write itself and to take a shot to see where it will go.

Requiem:

The aftermath of the sacrifice was worse than when Elena's parents had died. Maybe it was because theirs was an accident, not an act of pure evil that was Klaus. And maybe it was when her parents was killed, she was unconscious and didn't know what happened until she woke up in the hospital. But her reality this time was to watch the people that she loved ,die in front of her or be staked to the ground, helpless, but so willing to die in Jenna's place, if that's what it took to keep Elena's family together.

At the so called funeral, Elena watched as Damon gave her his saddest look and walked away from her, his look saying that he blamed himself for what happened to Jenna and hers saying that she didn't blame him as much as he thought she did.

Back at the Salvatore house, everyone was gathered around, sipping drinks and nibbling on finger foods that Caroline had put together in her obsessive compulsive, control freak kind of way. Filling the silence with the occasional small talk that happened when people find it hard to know what to say to a family that had lost so much.

Finally, Stefan realizing that Elena was practically dead on her feet, told them that he was taking her upstairs, for her to lay down, she needed the rest. Upon entering Stefan's room, Elena walked across the floor, in front of the bed and just stood there. It was as if she couldn't think what came next. Stefan crossed to her and helped her set down on the edge, removing her shoes and dress, leaving her in just her bra and panties. He crossed over to his armoire and pulled out one of his t-shirts and pulled it over her head and crawled up on the bed, pulling her into his arms to rest. "Rest babe. Sleep if you can." he tells her as he rubs her arms, letting her know, with his gentle touch, that he's there for her.

As her breathing slows and she is sleeping, albeit not soundly, he thinks back to the conversation he had with Damon. Damon is going to die. From a wolf bite. He remembered Rose and hearing Elena describe how rapidly she declined, he knows he has to do something soon, but what?

He can't lose his brother, despite their differences and Damon's obvious love for his girl, he still can't let him die. Not now, after he had watched his brother finally start to embrace his humanity. When Damon first came to town, planning to reek havoc, as he always did when he followed Stefan, he never thought that his brother could really change. It had always been his hope but the reality was, that in one hundred and forty five years, Damon had never even seriously attempted to be anything but bad. But now, he had witnessed it, he saw his brother grow a heart and actually care about people. The irony of that situation wasn't lost on Stefan. That it wasn't anything Stefan had done, that it was because of Elena, his woman and the love of his life, that his brother had changed. She had caused the monster to turn into a man. And now that he had found some redemption, Damon was going to die. No, he couldn't let that happen. But what could he do?

Bonnie. Maybe Bonnie would find something in all those grim mores that she now had. He would talk to her and have her start looking for a cure. He needed to go speak with her about Damon, but he needed to hold Elena too. He was so torn, he wanted to be here for Elena, she needed him so much now but his brother needed him more. Slowly, he moves Elena from his arms and when she doesn't seem to wake up, he leaves to go downstairs to find Bonnie.

He found her downstairs and asked to speak to her away from Jeremy and the others. She was stunned, almost speechless when he told her about Damon, he swore for a split second that Bonnie cared about Damon more than he ever knew, but then she recovered her composure quickly and said that she would start searching the grim mores right away. As Bonnie was walking out the door, she told him she would call him if she found anything.

Stefan made his way back to his room, back to a sleeping Elena. He stood by his bed, staring down at her, wondering why he couldn't get past this feeling of loss, even though she was here in his bed.

She still felt lost to him. He didn't know if it was watching her die in front of him or something more. He just couldn't over come the feeling that something was about to come between them.

He climbs in the bed beside her, trying to slide her back into his arms without waking her but her eyes pop open and she is staring up at him.

"Hi." she tells him as he smiles back as a reply to her. She moves her hand to his face and settles her thumb over his lips, tracing them before pulling his head down to hers.

He pulls away from kissing her when it starts to get intense, he knows that she is still in shock and that she doesn't need this right now.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, you need your rest."

"No. What I need is you."

"You're in shock, you've buried your family today."

"I need you to help me feel alive and loved."

"Elena…"

"Please Stefan, I need you."

He made love to her slow and sweet. Like it was their first together.

Like it was their last time together.


End file.
